LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 23/09
Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint John 20:1-2.11-18. On the first day of the week, Mary of
Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw
the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the
other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from
the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." But Mary stayed outside the
tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in
white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus
had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to
them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she
had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was
Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She
thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell
me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She
turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to
her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go
to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my
God and your God.'" Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have
seen the Lord," and what he told her.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
UNIFIL on the defense/NOW
Lebanon-July 22, 2009
Low expectations/Now Lebanon July
22, 2009
As-Safir: UNIFIL admits acting
beyond jurisdiction given by 1701 in Kherbet Selem/July
22/09
Iranian
leaders need to acknowledge and address public dissatisfaction-
The Daily Star 22/07/09
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for July
22/09
LEBANON: Ad agency served as cover for terror
plot, reports say-Los Angeles Times
March 14 for 'State Conditions' on Cabinet Formation-Naharnet
Aoun:
Berri and I Not Speaking Same Language; Enough Hizbullah Disarmament Talk-Naharnet
Lebanon First Bloc Rejects
Israeli Attempts to Amend 1701-Naharnet
Lebanon speaker slams Israel-AFP
Lebanon charges 17 with plotting UN attacks-AFP
Lebanon's House Speaker: Relations between south
Lebanese citizens, UNIFIL strong-Xinhua
Turkey ready to resume Israel-Syria mediator
role-Reuters
PMO: Turkey legitimate channel for Syria talks-Ynetnews
Wife of Guantánamo detainee released in Syria-Amnistía
Internacional
Mubarak Sees No Change in Syrian Policy, Abul Gheit
Calls on Lebanese to Stop Looking Overseas-Naharnet
Salloukh announces Lebanon’s
candidacy to non-permanent seat at the Security Council-Future News
Gemayel: Lebanon’s fate is at
stake-Future News
Berri: Our Relationship with UNIFIL
is Unbreakable-Naharnet
UNIFIL Admits to 'Making
Mistakes,' Denial of Attempts to Change Rules of Engagement-Naharnet
Ghajar Residents Refuse to
Become Part of Lebanon-Naharnet
Salhab says Jumblatt’s call for
“Islamic gathering” is dangerous, opposition does not trust him.NOW Staff
Extremist Network in
Advanced Plotting Stage-Naharnet
Hoff Worried about Rise in
Extremist Rhetoric-Naharnet
Kouchner: France Worried over Khirbet Selm Events-Naharnet
Jeita Grotto among
Finalists in New 7 Wonders of Nature Campaign-Naharnet
Lebanon Refuses to Amend Rules of Engagement as Israel Brings In Reinforcements
to Kfarshouba-Naharnet
Israel Criticizes UNIFIL,
Asks Lebanon, U.N. to End 'Blue Line Violation'-Naharnet
Hezbollah: UN overstepping its bounds in Lebanon-Ynetnews
UN, Hezbollah seek to ease Lebanon tensions-Ynetnews
Russia to upgrade its naval base in Syria-United
Press International
France
‘very worried’ about south Lebanon incidents-Daily
Star
Lebanese Army arrests terror
network planning to hit UNIFIL-Daily
Star
Saudi Arabia abuses human rights
while ‘combatting terror-Daily
Star
Nasrallah urges Lebanese to support Resistance-Daily
Star
Cabinet
talks gridlocked, both sides say-Daily
Star
Fatah,
Hamas members clash in Ain al-Hilweh-Daily
Star
Danish
military unit under fire for training Lebanese in headscarf-Daily
Star
UAE
holds closed-door terror trial for Lebanese-US citizen-Daily
Star
Assad
urged to free man arrested over Hariri killing-Daily
Star
Arab
states urged to tackle multiple crises-Daily
Star
Middle
East reduces spending during tough times-
(RPN)
Lebanon’s MEA ranks 18th carrier in world in terms of net profits-Daily
Star
Jeita
Grotto among finalists for 7 Wonders of Nature-Daily
Star
ESCWA
celebrates its 35th anniversary-Daily
Star
Young
Lebanese expats take part in summer camp-Daily
Star
Iraq Hopes for UN Sanctions to Be Lifted as Maliki
Arrives in US-FOXNews
Arrest warrant issued against
Journalist Ghada Eid-Now Lebanon
Berri: Positive relations with
UNIFIL should be maintained-Now Lebanon
Release:International Christian
Concern (ICC): Christian Shot 8 Times for Refusing to Pay Protection Money
Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2009) - International Christian Concern (ICC) has
learned that a Christian businessman was shot eight times in the legs while
driving through Lahore, Pakistan on July 7 after refusing to pay protection
money to a Muslim.
Suqlain Shah, an ex-policeman, and another man, Sudia, stopped Ayub Gill's car
at 2:25 in the afternoon as Ayub was going to buy a property in a nearby town.
Ayub's brother Babar was driving and two other relatives were in the back seat.
Suqlain pulled out a gun and dragged Babar out of the driver's seat, threatening
to kill him. Suqlain then got in the driver's seat and shot Ayub eight times in
the legs. After stealing $2,500, they fled on bicycles. Ayub is now recovering
in the hospital, but the doctors do not know if he will be able to walk again.
Suqlain, who lives near Ayub, had threatened him a few days earlier, when Ayub
had bought a car for his brother. It was the family's third car. When Suqlain
saw that they had three cars, he approached Ayub and demanded money. "You now
have three cars, so give me $3,750. You are a wealthy Christian, so it is my
right to get as much money as I need from you. If you don't give it to me I will
kill you."
Immediately following the shooting, Ayub's brothers went to the police station
to submit a report, but it was only accepted after five hours of delay and
harassment, partly because Suqlain's brother is a constable in the police force.
The police have taken no action to prosecute this case.
Mobeena, Ayub's sister, told ICC, "Suqlain is still free and hanging around. The
government has done nothing to help us, even though my brother is a prominent
businessman. We feel insecure, our children are too scared to go out anymore -
please help us, we need justice."
When ICC contacted the Pakistani embassy in Washington, D.C., embassy officials
denied any knowledge of the incident and stated, "Pakistani police stations do
not ask if someone is Muslim or Christian - they don't discriminate on that
basis." However, according to ICC sources, police regularly ascertain religious
affiliation for identification even though it is not required on report forms.
Please call your Pakistani embassy to ask for justice for Ayub Gill and his
family.
Pakistan Embassies:
USA: (202) 243-6500
Canada: (613) 238-7881
UK: 0870-005-6967
Nasrallah urges Lebanese to
support Resistance
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah reiterated on Monday the need
for spreading the culture of resistance among the Muslims. In a televised speech
aired during an event to mark 40 days since the death of Sunni cleric Fathi
Yakan, Nasrallah warned against attempts to incite sectarian strife in Lebanon
and called on the Lebanese to support the Resistance.
Remembering Yakan, Nasrallah said: “Lebanon is witnessing a difficult,
complicated and dangerous phase that needs someone with Yakan’s courage,
devotion and commitment.
“We will continue on the same path. We are required to work toward spreading the
[culture] of resistance in the Muslim spheres as Yakan wished.” Addressing the
recent Israeli threats against Lebanon, Nasrallah said Israel’s “escalatory tone
heralds a war against Lebanon.” “The Israelis have learned from their mistakes
[in the summer 2006 war] and have been working to correct their points of
weakness,” Nasrallah said. He explained that any new war launched by Israel
aimed at “eradicating the resistance,” and forcing the Palestinians of 1948 out
to Lebanon. “I say that our enemies have done all that can be done to harm the
resistance and have failed,” he said. Nasrallah called on the Lebanese to “once
again embrace the resistance and the culture of resistance,” as a tool to combat
the Israeli schemes. He said divisions prevailed in Lebanon during and following
the 2006 war and criticized those who “conspired against the resistance” then.
“The past years witnessed the climax of conspiracy against the resistance,” he
said. “The battle against the resistance was not limited to its arsenal. It went
to the level of belittling the culture of resistance and its martyrs. It was a
comprehensive and broad attack.” “However,” the Sayyed said said, the division
was “political, although some were depicting it as sectarian.” – The Daily Star,
with Naharnet
March 14 for 'State Conditions' on Cabinet Formation
Naharnet/The March 14 general secretariat reiterated support for PM-designate
Saad Hariri's efforts to form a coalition government and said the alliance
doesn't put conditions on cabinet formation."The March 14 forces do not put
conditions on the cabinet formation other that the conditions of the state
itself," the general secretariat said in a statement following its weekly
meeting on Wednesday. The alliance also hoped the coalition cabinet wouldn't
face obstacles and would provide stability and services for the people. On the
recent incidents in the south, the March 14 forces reiterated their support for
U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 and slammed Israel's demands to change
UNIFIL's rules of engagement. Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 14:44
Aoun: Berri and I Not Speaking Same Language; Enough Hizbullah Disarmament Talk
Naharnet/MP Michel Aoun said at a press conference
Monday that Speaker Nabih Berri was speaking at a "different wave length"
concerning the cabinet shape-up and voiced deep concern over Israel's recent
escalating tones. Berri earlier said he expected the government's make-up to be
finalized before the end of the month.
Asked whether he shared Berri's optimism, Aoun said: "Berri and I are speaking
at different wave lengths on the issue. But I hope he is right. I would not be
dismayed if he was right.""I will be very glad if a government is formed by the
end of the month," he said after the weekly meeting of his parliamentary bloc.
He called on the majority to "form the government in Lebanon and to stop waiting
for outside interference… the identity and location of who is forming the
government is unknown."
On Israel, Aoun slammed the international outcry over last week's explosion of
an arms cache in the village of Khirbet Selm. He also criticized the United
Nations for its failure to make the Israel respect Lebanon's sovereignty. "We
are very concerned over Israel's behaviors. We are also concerned over a world
that violates our rights and voices dismay over the presence of a weapons cache
in our country, but fails to see the fully equipped Israeli planes that fly in
our airspace," he added.
"Our entire arsenal cannot be compared to the weapons being given to Israel," he
said. "From now on, let no one speak to us about Hizbullah's weapons arsenal.
Enough with this insolence," Aoun added. He called on the Lebanese people to
"unite" against what the international community was trying to impose on
Lebanon.
"What do the United States and Europe want from us? They do not have the right
to control us just because they are major powers," Aoun said. On Israel's call
for the amendment of Resolution 1701, Aoun said UNIFIL should "first deploy on
both sides of the border, create a buffer zone and stop (Israeli) violations of
our land, before thinking of changing its rules of engagement.""The Lebanese
army has the sole authority to enter people's homes if necessary," he said. He
was referring to UNIFIL's attempt last week to raid the Khirbet Selm house to
investigate the blast, in violation of the force's rules of engagement and
without coordination with the army. Fourteen peacekeepers were injured when
protesters tried to stop the investigation. Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 19:15
Lebanon First Bloc Rejects Israeli Attempts to Amend 1701
Naharnet/Lebanon First parliamentary bloc met premier-designate Saad Hariri on
Wednesday and insisted on the need for all political sides to continue to adhere
to appeasing tones and facilitate the formation of the government. In a
statement after the meeting, the bloc praised Hariri's "persistent and calm
efforts and his openness to all the political makings" of Lebanon to achieve his
task. The bloc also "completely" rejected Israel's attempts to amend U.N.
Security Council Resolution 1701. It condemned Israel's "repeated violations,
which constitute an act of aggression against both the Lebanese sovereignty and
UNIFIL." Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 17:22
Salloukh announces Lebanon’s candidacy to non-permanent seat at the Security
Council
Date: July 21st, 2009 /Future News
Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh announced on Tuesday Lebanon’s candidacy to the
non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council of 2010-2011. His
announcement, made during his representation of President Michel Sleiman at the
ESCWA 35th anniversary, denounced Israeli threats and espionage networks rocking
stability in Lebanon.
Minister Salloukh hailed the vital role ESCWA performed in overcoming regional
circumstances “when it was shut down in Beirut in 1982, moved to Baghdad due to
the Israeli occupation, then to Amman before returning back to its hometown
Beirut in 1997.”Salloukh indicated that the international organization’s
closeness to political disturbances and security instability “gave it a clearer
understanding of the people’s suffering, especially at times of attacks and
invasions, a problem that hindered development and social welfare.”
He pointed that the Israeli ongoing violations include “millions of cluster
bombs the enemy left in its July war on Lebanon, next to the environmental
pollution resulting from its bombing of fuel caches. It still refuses to pay
compensations and prevent our people from investing Lebanon’s abundant natural
resources.”“Successive Israeli governments refuse the option of total and just
peace and continues to kill, raze houses and expand its occupation,” Salloukh
concluded.
Gemayel: Lebanon’s fate is at
stake
Date: July 21st, 2009 Source: NNA
Former President Amine Gemayel said on Tuesday that Lebanon fate is at stake
stressing on the necessity of forming a government as soon as possible
especially that the situation in the south is dangerous. MP Saad Hariri, leader
of the majority, was designated prime minister on June 27 and is consulting the
parliamentary blocs in order to form the post-elections government. Meanwhile, a
security incident occurred in the southern village of Kherbet Selem where an
arms depot belonging to Hizbullah exploded last week which incited the
intervention of the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Forces in
Lebanon. Gemayel, leader of the Kataeb Party, noted that the south is the
balance of the country on security, economic and political levels, adding that
the Lebanese need to confront these threats thus the need to form a government.
During a meeting with French MP Olivier Jardi at his residence in Bekfaya,
Gemayel said that the reflections of what is happening in the south is dangerous
on the security situation in the south and on the relations with the
international community and the Security Council. He also expressed confidence
in the Premier-designate Saad Hariri and hoped the formation of the new
government would be according to the results of the June 7 parliamentary
elections. On the other hand, MP Jardi hailed the role of former President
Gemayel in the worst situation, and considered that the future of Lebanon is
hard in this tensed region, hoping that Lebanon could unite in the future to
overcome the challenges.
UNIFIL on the defense
July 22, 2009 /NOW Lebanon
Indonesian UNIFIL soldiers patrol the al-Abbad point on the Lebanese-Israeli
borders. (AFP/Ali Dia)
Over the past few days, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL,
has come under fire, quite literally. Aside from the stones hurtled at UNIFIL
soldiers on Saturday by residents of the southern village of Kherbet Selem as
troops attempted to search a suspected Hezbollah weapons cache, more information
has come out regarding an alleged terrorist network that was reportedly plotting
to target UNIFIL troops.
Saturday’s incident has been garnering heavy press coverage since it happened,
as a controversy has flared regarding UNIFIL’s right to search private homes and
whether or not it passed its actions before the Lebanese Armed Forces, with
which it should be cooperating, before attempting to enter the property in
Kherbet Selem. The village is, incidentally, the location of a series of
underground explosions in what is thought to be a subterranean weapons depot
earlier last week.
As-Safir newspaper added a twist to the story on Wednesday by reporting that
UNIFIL has launched an investigation into the Kherbet Selem incident based on
reports and aerial photographs presented by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
The daily reported that the peacekeeping forces have admitted to acting beyond
their jurisdiction stated by UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
“Investigations revealed that UNIFIL had informed the LAF it would search three
buildings in Kherbet Selem on Saturday as part of its routine,” the source told
the paper. However, a UNIFIL armored personnel carrier (APC) reportedly headed
toward the village “without giving prior notice to or coordinating with the LAF,”
resulting in the clashes between Kherbet Selem residents and UNIFIL soldiers,
the daily said.
The forces also have a history of acting beyond their jurisdiction, As-Safir
reported, saying that “UNIFIL admitted to raiding, in specific cases, some
houses in other villages, in addition to patrolling and setting up checkpoints.”
Israel has, of course, also thrown its two cents in, demanding that the Security
Council examine the explosion in Kherbet Selem that preceded UNIFIL troops
entering the village. As-Safir reported that diplomatic sources informed the
Lebanese Foreign Ministry that the UN is inclined to respond to Israel’s demand.
The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also apparently started drafting an
official response to Israel’s allegations following the complaint filed by the
Jewish State against Lebanon before the UN in light of the Kherbet Selem episode
and the perhaps-related Kfar Shouba incident of last Saturday, when residents of
the village, led by Development and Liberation bloc MP Qassem Hashem, cut
through barbed wire laid by the Israeli Defense Forces near Baathaiil Lake and
planted Lebanese and Hezbollah flags over an Israeli observation post.
The buzz over the incidents and UNIFIL’s jurisdiction has caused such a stir
that UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams has been busily meeting
this week with Lebanese leaders from across the political spectrum to contain
the situation, stressing after meetings with Speaker Nabih Berri, President
Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and outgoing PM Fouad
Siniora that UNIFIL should act within the boundaries set by Resolution 1701. All
of the abovementioned leaders also stressed that UNIFIL is necessary for peace
and stability in Lebanon and that its mandate should not be amended.
But UNIFIL has a lot more to worry about than the diplomatic hubbub produced by
the events in Kherbet Selem last week.
More information has surfaced about a group of men arrested on Tuesday for
allegedly plotting attacks against UNIFIL. The men apparently belonged to the al
Qaeda-inspired Fatah al-Islam group, Reuters reported, which fought a 15-week
battle with the Lebanese Armed Forces in 2007.
The network, which is made up of different Arab nationals, most of whom came
from outside Lebanon, also planned to help wanted terrorists get out of the Ain
al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, where many of them are holed up. The
suspects reportedly worked for advertising companies specializing in billboards
and used their jobs as a cover for monitoring road traffic, according to As-Safir.
The security source who spoke to Reuters also said that the ringleader of the
arrested group, a Syrian national, had six forged passports and had travelled to
six Arab countries in 15 days. Many of the men had taken up residence in
Christian areas in East Beirut, the source said.
Low expectations
July 21, 2009 /Now Lebanon
The Lebanese cabinet, which was rendered powerless by the opposition’s
acquisition of the blocking-third vote.
On a day in which Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah called upon the
Arab nations to embrace the Resistance and its culture in preparation for a war
that aimed “uproot the Resistance and control Lebanon’s waters, territories and
resources”, Finance Minister Mohammad Chatah spoke his mind on a less dramatic,
but, some would argue, more salient, topic.
In an interview with An-Nahar on Monday, Chatah said, no doubt for the record,
that the economic reforms that conditioned the January 2007 Paris III donor
conference never had any chance of being implemented. He cited the
obstructing-third vote given to the opposition at the Doha Conference as the
main reason.
He was being generous. The mechanism that allows the opposition to crush any
initiative it doesn’t like was granted in May 2008. By that time, 18 months
after Paris III, Fouad Siniora’s first government was already dead and buried.
Any desire to fix the economy had been crushed by March 8’s determination to
bring down his administration by any means possible.
Quite simply, he never had a chance, and those Lebanese who took to the streets
on March 14, 2005, but who now feel they have been let down by the bloc of the
same name, forget this very important nugget of truth.
From the outset, the government was working with one hand tied behind its back
(not to mention a gun at its temple). The second part of 2005 may have seen the
heady move away from Syrian dominion, but it was also punctuated by political
killings and random bomb blasts across Beirut and its suburbs. But if the 12
months following Saad Hariri’s landslide victory at the polls were characterized
by an attempt at consolidation, the next 24 months saw Lebanon plunged into a
catastrophic war with Israel and suffer paralysis soon after, as the opposition
swarmed into the Beirut Central District and set up an illegal tent village.
Siniora was a virtual prisoner in the Grand Serail, “protected” by troops and
rows of razor wire.
As if this were not enough, the besieged government had to deal with a bloody
insurrection by Fatah al-Islam militants at the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in
Tripoli that took up most of the summer of 2007 and cost the lives of nearly 200
Lebanese troops. When the Doha gathering brought the 18-month crisis to an end,
the blocking-third mechanism effectively killed off any notion of work for the
coming 12 months.
It is hardly surprising that the country is aching for a government that is
serious about economic reform. Lebanon’s problems are so crude in their
complexity and their solutions so easy; if only the will were there. And there’s
the rub. Chatah’s comments highlighted not only the constipation of the previous
four years but offered a gloomy outlook for the coming term, arguing that, if a
national-unity cabinet were formed, there would be no accountability. But who
cares about accountability when it appears that many of our honorable
politicians only see the formation of the cabinet and their role in government
in terms of consolidating their own power bases and holding out for portfolios
that will allow them to distribute patronage – both monetary and service-based –
from what is a pitiful national trough. Let us not kid ourselves for one minute
that the current round of horse trading is taking as long as it is because a
formula to somehow breathe life into Lebanon’s emaciated carcass cannot be
agreed upon. Unless we are very careful, we are in danger of being faced with
more of the same for another four years, especially given Nasrallah’s latest
apocalyptic rant. If, in 2013, there is uninterrupted electricity, hi-speed
internet, cheaper mobile phone rates and a reduction in the national debt, the
government will have arguably achieved more than any other in the two decades
since the war. What is even sadder is that, so low have their expectations sunk,
the people will be happy.
As-Safir: UNIFIL admits acting beyond jurisdiction given by 1701 in Kherbet
Selem
July 22, 2009 /NOW Staff
A source told As-Safir newspaper on Wednesday that UNIFIL has launched an
investigation into the Kherbet Selem incident based on reports and aerial
photographs presented by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), after residents of
Kherbet Selem clashed last week with UNIFIL forces who were attempting to search
a house where weapons were suspected to have been stored. The daily reported
that the peacekeeping forces have admitted to acting beyond their jurisdiction
stated by UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
“Investigations revealed that UNIFIL had informed the LAF it would search three
buildings in Kherbet Selem on Saturday as part of its routine,” the source said.
However, a UNIFIL armored personnel carrier (APC) reportedly headed toward the
village “without giving prior notice to or coordinating with the LAF,” resulting
in the clashes between Kherbet Selem residents and UNIFIL soldiers, the daily
said. “UNIFIL admitted to raiding, in specific cases, some houses in other
villages, in addition to patrolling and setting up checkpoints” in areas not
within UNIFIL’s jurisdiction, As-Safir reported. The daily also said that
Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah representatives stressed the importance of
UNIFIL’s role, since it “guarantees security in South Lebanon and is a witness
to the continuous Israeli violations since the issuance of UN Security Council
Resolution 1701.”
Salhab says Jumblatt’s call for “Islamic gathering” is dangerous, opposition
does not trust him
July 22, 2009 /NOW Staff
In an interview with the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa on Wednesday, Change and
Reform bloc MP Salim Salhab said that Progressive Socialist Party leader MP
Walid Jumblatt’s call for establishing an Islamic gathering is “a call for
forming an Islamic front, which is more dangerous than a Muslim alliance or
understanding.” Salhab added that the Future Movement, Hezbollah and the Amal
Movement informed Jumblatt of their rejection to form a Muslim “gathering.”“The
opposition, especially the Free Patriotic Movement, does not trust Jumblatt,” he
said, adding that this remains the primary cause of delay in holding a meeting
between Jumblatt and FPM leader MP Michel Aoun. Salhab stressed that Jumblatt
split up the general secretariat of the March 14 alliance and “formed a third
group, which mediates between the majority and opposition,” saying that
Jumblatt’s new stances will not be clear before the new cabinet is formed.
Salhab commented on the cabinet formation process, saying that a Saudi-Syrian
agreement is “necessary” to facilitate the government formation. However, any
Saudi-Syrian assistance “should limit discussions to the general framework of
the formation,” he said and called for refusing foreign interference in forming
the new cabinet.
Arrest warrant issued against
Journalist Ghada Eid
July 22, 2009 /NOW Staff
The National News Agency reported on Wednesday that Investigation Judge Raffoul
Boustany issued an arrest warrant in absentia against Journalist Ghada Eid after
Judge Shahid Salameh filed a lawsuit against Eid for slander, defamation and
libel.
Free Hariri witness, Amnesty
tells Syria
LONDON, July 21 (UPI) -- Amnesty International is calling on Damascus to release
Ziad Ramadan, a witness in the case of the 2005 slaying of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri. A massive bomb ripped through downtown Beirut in February
2005, killing Hariri and several others traveling in his motorcade. Syrian
sympathizers are blamed for the attack and the United Nations has backed a
special tribunal to examine the assassination. Amnesty called on Syrian
President Bashar Assad to order the release of Ramadan. The group said it
believes Ramadan, a Syrian national, is held at the Palestine Branch of Syrian
Military Intelligence, where it claims torture is common. The Special Tribunal
for Lebanon told Amnesty in May that Ramadan was not a suspect but may have
links to persons of interest in the Hariri investigation. The tribunal has not
ordered his detention. Ramadan was released by Lebanese authorities in 2005 and
returned to Syria, where he was arrested by intelligence officials. Damascus
says it will put Ramadan on trial for terrorism charges, but Amnesty claims he
remains in custody without charge.The group said it had contacted officials in
Damascus but received no response.
Mubarak Sees No Change in Syrian Policy, Abul Gheit Calls on Lebanese to Stop
Looking Overseas
Naharnet/Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told French Prime Minister Francois
Fillon that he sees no change in Syrian policy towards Lebanon, adding that
Damascus would keep adopting the same stance. The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on
Wednesday quoted sources as saying that Cairo has advised its Lebanese allies to
wait till the Lebanese cabinet is formed prior to making any high level visit to
Damascus. The paper added Mubarak stressed to French
President Nicolas Sarkozy that his country is not interfering in the formation
of the government in Lebanon. Mubarak, who is
currently on a state visit to Paris, told his French host that he is "waiting to
see how things would develop in Lebanon."
In another development, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said he
believed the Lebanese will form a government satisfactory to all. He added that
past experiences showed cabinet formation in Lebanon takes time, but indicated
that there is currently a parliamentary majority that has the right to form a
government.
"Lebanon's society has a special situation that makes it incumbent upon all to
have a Lebanese consensus," Abul Gheit said.
In an interview with al-Hayat on Wednesday, Abul Gheit said the Syrian-Lebanese
relationship "has changed from what it used to be back in 2005-06. Today there
are no Syrian forces on Lebanese territories, there is a Syrian and a Lebanese
ambassador in each country; hence, the structural relationship has changed."
"Things have changed in 50 years from independence up to 2009. However, matters
require two to three years to fully settle," the Egyptian foreign minister said.
Abul Gheit told al-Hayat that it is up to Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad
Hariri to decide whether to visit Damascus.
"Following the formation of the government he could travel anywhere in the world
as the legally elected prime minister of Lebanon," Abul Gheit said.
He called on all to lift their hands off Lebanon saying there are many external
forces currently attempting to delve into Lebanese affairs adding "everyone (in
Lebanon) must also stop looking overseas." Abul Gheit
said the case of the captured Hizbullah cell in Egypt would go to court at the
right time soon. He affirmed that the Egyptian state would not back off and not
accuse this cell. He ruled out a 'Lockerbie' type of
settlement to the Hariri assassination case by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon
(STL), saying: "The killer must be punished, Arab blood and spirit are not to be
legalized, this was a crime against a prime minister of Lebanon, there should be
a trial but there should also be conditions for not politicizing the case."
"The case should be carried out in a manner that secures Lebanese stability and
consensus as much as possible.
"Those two guarantees are decisive in ensuring that Lebanon would overcome the
trial's ramifications. Anyways, we have to see when the indictment is made and
whether it would have any internal consequences," the minister told his
interviewer. Abul Gheit described Egyptian-Syrian
relations as calm, with no sharp collisions. "We have contacts and meet from
time to time."
However, he ruled out any summit between Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar
Assad, anytime soon. "I don't see this happening in the near future," he said,
adding that both sides have to agree on policies before they meet. Beirut, 22
Jul 09, 09:37
Berri: Our Relationship with UNIFIL is Unbreakable
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri said Wednesday that Israel will not be able to
tamper with the relationship between the Lebanese people and UNIFIL, adding that
he was optimistic about the formation of a cabinet before month's end.
"Israel is trying to exploit what happened in the south in order to
create a gap between Lebanon and UNIFIL," Berri said after talks with President
Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace. He said that he stressed during his talks with
UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano and U.N. Special Coordinator for
Lebanon Michael Williams that the relationship with the U.N. peacekeepers goes
back to 1974. "Israel is trying to cover up for what
happened in Kfarshouba," Berri told reporters. Berri also expressed optimism
about government formation, saying: "There is Saudi-Syrian rapprochement and
understanding over understanding.""Where did you hear that the opposition is
insisting on veto power?" he said in response to a question. "Everyone is
talking about a unity and partnership cabinet." Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 12:49
UNIFIL Admits to 'Making Mistakes,' Denial of Attempts to Change Rules of
Engagement
Naharnet/The U.N. and Hizbullah have agreed to try to ease tensions after a week
of trouble in the south that saw an explosion at a weapons depot, a border
crossing into Israeli-held territory and a clash between the Shiite group's
supporters and peacekeepers. U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael
Williams said he had a "frank" discussion Tuesday with the head of Hizbullah's
liaison office, Wafiq Safa, about ways to calm the situation in the south.
Williams also said he will travel to Israel later in the week to confer with
officials there about the incidents. Israel complained to the U.N. about the
Saturday clash in Khirbet Selm, the explosion there and an incursion by Lebanese
civilians into a post in Kfarshouba that Israel recently erected as peacekeepers
watched. The attempted search by UNIFIL on Saturday which sparked the
stone-throwing clash has led to concerns that it may be a prelude to changing
the rules of engagement of the U.N. force, a move which would put it in direct
confrontation with Hizbullah.
However, official Lebanese sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks
published Wednesday that there is no tendency, in particularly by European
countries that have contributed troops to UNIFIL, to change the rules of
engagement. An Nahar daily quoted official sources as saying President Michel
Suleiman has insisted on: Keenness on UNIFIL and coordination between it and the
army, rejection of attempts to change the rules of engagement and facing Israeli
violations of Lebanese sovereignty and guaranteeing the Jewish state's
unconditional withdrawal from Shebaa farms, Kfarshouba hills and the northern
part of the border village of Ghajar.
A statement by Hizbullah after the meeting with Williams on Tuesday stressed
that UNIFIL must abide by the rules of engagement that do "not allow those
forces to carry out any raids of houses." The statement said there was agreement
to "strengthen coordination" meetings with UNIFIL units in southern Lebanon "to
guarantee the restoration of the atmosphere of confidence between it and the
population." As Safir said the UNIFIL command has admitted that it "made a
mistake' in trying to raid a house in Khirbet Selm in violation of the rules of
engagement and without coordination with the army. After meeting with Speaker
Nabih Berri Williams also said the U.N. has requested all sides to recommit to
the terms of Security Council resolution 1701. "Noting the sensitivity of the
situation, we agreed that all sides should refrain from any provocative
actions," he said.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 10:36
Ghajar Residents Refuse to Become Part of Lebanon
Naharnet/The elders of the border village of Ghajar visited the Knesset on
Tuesday and insisted to Israeli Deputy Minister for the Development of the Negev
and Galilee Ayoub Kara their rejection to divide their hometown.
The Jerusalem Post said Kara made a briefing to the elders on Israeli
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's decision to assign Foreign Minister Avigdor
Lieberman the task of preparing recommendations on a solution for their village
as well as for the Shebaa Farms area.
Ghajar, located at the foot of Mount Hermon straddling the Lebanese-Syrian
border, is perched on a cliff overlooking the Wazzani spring, which has been a
source of continuous disputes between Israel and Lebanon. It is inhabited mainly
by Alawites, most of whom have obtained Israeli citizenship even though they
consider themselves Syrian. The village is an extension of the Syrian Golan
Heights plateau, which Israel occupied during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed
in 1981.
According to a U.N.-drawn Blue Line marking the border between Israel and
Lebanon, the northern part of the village lies on Lebanese soil while the rest
is part of occupied Syrian territory. Israel is still occupying Ghajar's
northern part. "We were born Syrians, and some of us served in the Syrian army,
and after the war, when the Golan Law was passed, we accepted it and became
faithful citizens of the state," said the village's mayor, Suleiman Mohammad Abu
Hassan al-Khatib. The Jerusalem Post quoted Kara as saying that Ghajar's leaders
had requested that he set up meetings with Netanyahu, Lieberman and U.S.
Ambassador to Israel James Cunningham to convince them to allow the village to
remain in Israeli territory. The deputy minister added
that he intended to demand an urgent meeting with Cunningham, preferably to be
held in Ghajar itself so the ambassador could see for himself the problems
facing the village's citizens. However, Israel Radio
quoted Netanyahu's office as saying that the meeting was held based on Kara's
personal initiative and the Israeli deputy minister wasn't instructed to speak
on behalf of the government. Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 11:19
Extremist Network in Advanced Plotting Stage
Naharnet/Security sources have said that the 10-member terrorist network
recently arrested by the Lebanese army was in an advanced stage in its plans to
attack several targets, including UNIFIL and the military itself. The sources
told As Safir newspaper that the network was planning to attack the army to
avenge its assault on militants in Nahr al-Bared camp in 2007.
Beirut media said Wednesday that the ringleader of the arrested group is a
Syrian national and was found with six forged passports. The man reportedly
traveled to six Arab countries in 15 days. Other
members of the network had Saudi, Kuwaiti, Syrian, Yemeni and Palestinian
nationalities and one of them had a Greek passport.
The army said Tuesday that it has arrested the extremist network that was
planning to carry out attacks against U.N. troops and smuggle wanted terrorists
out of the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh.
"Our investigation has shown that this network was planning to smuggle
wanted terrorists out of Ain el-Hilweh ... smuggle Fatah al-Islam fighters into
Ain el-Hilweh, to carry out attacks from Lebanon on targets abroad and create
terrorist cells to monitor UNIFIL and the army in order to carry out terrorist
attacks on them," an army communiqué said. High-level
security sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that investigation revealed the
ten members' connection to Osama al-Shahabi, a wanted terrorist, who is holed up
in Ain el-Hilweh. A security source also told al-Liwaa
daily that the network intended to smuggle fighters out of Lebanon to Iraq and
Afghanistan. He also didn't rule out attempts to carry out assassinations in
Lebanon. Furthermore, trustworthy sources told the
newspaper that the son of Fatah al-Islam leader Abdel Rahim Awad has been
arrested. Beirut, 22 Jul 09, 11:54
Kouchner: France Worried over Khirbet Selm Events
Naharnet/France is "very concerned" over the explosion last week of an arms
cache in southern Lebanon and a subsequent attack by protestors against UNIFIL,
French Foreign Minister said Tuesday at a press conference in Paris. Fourteen
U.N. peacekeepers were injured in south Lebanon on Saturday when protesters
tried to stop an investigation into the arms cache that exploded in the village
of Khirbet Selm. "France is very concerned over the recent incidents in Khirbet
Selm," Kouchner said, adding that any attack against the peacekeepers was
"unacceptable.""An investigation will try to uncover the underlying causes of
the incident," he said. Kouchner said he disagreed
with Israeli calls for the amendment of UNIFIL's mandate.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut,
21 Jul 09, 18:40
Jeita Grotto among Finalists in New 7 Wonders of Nature Campaign
Naharnet/Lebanon's Jeita Grotto on Tuesday was selected as one of 28 finalists
for the seven natural wonders of the world, facing the Amazon, Mount Vesuvius
and others for a spot on the prestigious list. "This is a moment every Lebanese
should be proud of," said Nabil Haddad, who heads Jeita's national support
committee. "The Jeita Grotto is a medal of honor for Lebanon and has placed
Lebanon on the global tourism map again." Other finalists from the Middle East
include the Dead Sea and UAE's Bu Tinah Shoals. Jeita, in a river valley near
the capital Beirut, comprises two limestone caves, upper galleries and a lower
cave through which an underground river runs. A cement bridge allows tourists to
walk through the palatial structure and view the glistening stalactites and
stalagmites formed over millennia by drops of water creating new pathways around
rock too hard to dissolve. The cave is 10,000 meters (close to 33,000 feet) long
and features one of the biggest stalactites in the world, hanging 8.2 meters (27
feet) from the ceiling. Among the winner are the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier
Reef, Azerbaijan's Mud Volcanoes, Ireland's Moher Cliffs, Germany's Black
Forest, the Amazon rain forest, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Ecuador's
Galapagos islands. The Swiss-based non-profit organization New7Wonders
Foundation is to announce the new wonders of nature in 2011. A panel of experts
nominated the initial batch of candidates, online voters selected finalists and
an estimated one billion online voters are to select the final seven on the site
www.new7wonders.com.(AFP-AP) Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 17:53
Lebanon Refuses to Amend Rules of Engagement as Israel
Brings In Reinforcements to Kfarshouba
Naharnet/Israel reinforcements took up positions around the border town of
Kfarshouba to face a possible action by local residents who threatened to remove
a recently set up Israeli position if UNIFIL failed to address their demand
immediately. Residents had given a weeklong ultimatum to UNIFIL last week
threatening to take action to remove the unmanned post on the outskirts of
Kfarshouba if UNIFIL failed to meet the deadline. Around 70 Lebanese, led by MP
Qassem Hashem, cut through barbed wire on Friday and marched on the post in the
Kfarshouba hills which Israel set up last week. The protesters put a Lebanese
flag and another of Hizbullah just outside the post before being asked by U.N.
peacekeepers in the area to evacuate the grounds.Last Tuesday the Lebanese army
asked the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to remove the
position.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said the U.N. has pledged to hold contacts with Israel
in order to stop its violations in Kfarshouba and remove the new post, a
two-meter high earth mound.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army and UNIFIL troops were put on alert "in case of any
emergency," while UNIFIL helicopters hovered above the Blue Line, local media
said Tuesday.
UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Gratziano met Lebanese army commander Gen.
Jean Qahwaji at the Defense Ministry in Yarze on Monday to discuss ways to
curtail any possible repercussions from Israeli violations of Lebanese territory
around Baathaeel Pond on the outskirts of Kfarshshouba.
Premier-designate Saad Hariri on Monday rejected Israeli calls for the amendment
of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended a 34-day war between Israel
and Hizbullah, and called for full commitment to its provisions without
exception.
"Israel's calls for the amendment of Resolution 1701 are a new attempt to escape
(its obligations) and to hide the real violations of this resolution," Hariri
told visiting U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams.
He cautioned the international community against the "dangers of slipping
toward any form of manipulation of Resolution 1701."
Hariri called for safeguarding "UNIFIL's role and responsibility to protect the
Lebanese border against any Israeli aggression."
"We stress that UNIFIL is a friendly force that is undertaking the essential
tasks of guaranteeing Lebanon's sovereignty and the implementation of 1701," he
said.
Williams, in turn, said he discussed with Hariri the implementation of
Resolution 1701 and "agreed on the need for all sides to adhere to this
resolution."
UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane said the issue of changing the rules of
engagement depends on the outcome of the Security Council meeting due to convene
in August to discuss renewal of UNIFIL's mandate.
Bouziane told al-Jadeed TV that U.N. peacekeepers together with Lebanese troops
were carrying out routine patrols, adding that investigation into a house raid
in Khirbet Selm was still ongoing. Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 08:26
Israel Criticizes UNIFIL, Asks Lebanon, U.N. to End 'Blue Line Violation'
Naharnet/Israel urged the Lebanese government and U.N. peacekeepers on Monday to
prevent Hizbullah fighters and their supporters from allegedly violating its
territory and jeopardizing the fragile stability along the border.
In identical letters to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security
Council, Israel's U.N. ambassador also accused Hizbullah of violating resolution
1701 by building new military facilities and hiding arms in the zone between the
Litani River and the Israeli border.
Israeli Ambassador Gabriela Shalev cited three recent incidents that she said
were "severe violations" of the U.N. resolution.
In the first, on July 14, a Hizbullah arms cache exploded in an abandoned
building in Khirbet Selm, she said. Hizbullah has remained silent.
Three days later, 15 Lebanese civilians crossed the U.N.-drawn Blue Line — the
unofficial boundary with Israel — and penetrated 175 meters into Israel,
planting three Hizbullah and Lebanese flags before crossing back into Lebanese
territory, Shalev said. The July 17 incident took
place near a position manned by U.N. peacekeepers, but Shalev said UNIFIL
"refrained from taking any action to prevent the crossing of these individuals
into Israeli territory" in reference to a newly erected Israeli post in
Kfarshouba, which Lebanon considers Lebanese territory.
The ambassador noted that MP Qassem Hashem, who helped organize "the
illegal action," claimed it was coordinated with relevant authorities including
UNIFIL.
"Given the proximity of the violation to a UNIFIL position, Israel would have
expected that UNIFIL intervene in time to prevent this violation," Shalev said.
"Israel calls upon the government of Lebanon to exercise its authority and
prevent such violations of the Blue Line that endanger the stability along our
mutual border," she said. "In addition, Israel calls upon the secretary-general
to exercise his influence and to ensure that UNIFIL will prevent any future
incidents from occurring."
A third serious incident took place the following day, July 18, in Khirbet Selm,
the same place where the arms cache exploded.
Villagers threw stones at U.N. peacekeeping troops, lightly injuring 14
soldiers, in an attempt to prevent an investigation near the site of the arms
depot explosion, the U.N. said.
Shalev said the presence of arms in southern Lebanon and actions to prevent
UNIFIL from carrying out its mandate "must be confronted."
In order to ensure that there are no Hizbullah weapons, "the Lebanese army and
UNIFIL must re-adapt their activity to the new reality in which Hizbullah is
rebuilding its military infrastructure south of the Litani River within the
civilian population," she said.(AP-Naharnet) Beirut, 21 Jul 09, 09:34
Hezbollah: UN overstepping its
bounds in Lebanon
Published: 07.22.09, 00:19 / Israel News
Hezbollah's foreign relations chief, Amar Mussawi, said the UN had overstepped
its authority when its soldiers "dared to storm one of the houses in the village
of Khirbat Silem".
Following a meeting with French Ambassador to Lebanon Andre Parant, Mussawi
added that "the mission of these forces is to assist the army in taking the
necessary steps to keep the peace". Last week a blast occurred in a house in the
village thought to be a covert warehouse for Hezbollah's weapons. (Roee Nahmias)
Cabinet talks gridlocked, both sides say
Gemayel advises March 14 to form government by itself if consultations fail
By Elias Sakr /Daily Star staff
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Both the parliamentary majority and the opposition expect a delay in the
formation of the upcoming cabinet, media reports suggested on Tuesday. Sources
from both coalitions said Hizbullah has demanded veto power in the next cabinet,
but they confirmed that the party wanted “no guarantees on its arms or the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL),” according to reports published in the
Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai on Tuesday. The sources confirmed remarks made on Friday by
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who said his party was not asking for
guarantees on its arms or the STL. Concerning the cabinet’s formation, Phalange
party head Amine Gemayel accused on Tuesday the opposition of obstructing the
process, adding that the March 14 coalition remained open to all parties.
Following talks with French MP Olivier Gardi, Gemayel endorsed partnership in
the next government and urged the opposition to facilitate Prime
Minister-designate Saad Hariri’s task “so as to restore the role of the state’s
institutions.” Gemayel, who rejected granting the minority veto power, called on
the parliamentary majority to unilaterally form the cabinet if they failed to
reach an agreement on its structure with opposition groups. “If a national unity
cabinet is unattainable, we should take responsibility for the formation process
in accordance with the results of the [June 7] parliamentary elections,” he said
The phalange leader added that such a step would stabilize the country’s
political situation and promote democracy.
“The democratic process would straighten when a majority rules and a minority
opposes,” Gemayel said. Commenting on the cabinet’s formation, Gardi
acknowledged the difficulty of Hariri’s task, adding that the process “would be
facilitated if the parliamentary majority was respected.” Tackling the security
situation in south Lebanon, Gemayel warned that last week’s incidents would
affect Lebanon’s relations with the international community and the United
Nations Security Council.
Over the weekend, 14 peacekeepers operating as part of the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured when protestors confronted them
near the southern village of Khirbit Silim. Approximately 100 residents
attempted to impede investigation into the explosions last week of a suspected
arms cache. Gemayel underscored that Lebanon’s political and economic progress
as well as its security depended on the stability of the country’s southern
region. Also, Giradi stressed that tensions in the Middle East region threatened
Lebanon’s future, adding that the country’s situation could not be separated
from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as developments in Syria and Iran.
Tackling obstacles facing the government’s formation and its timing, sources in
the March 14 coalition as well as Hizbullah told Al-Rai newspaper in a report
published on Tuesday that the agreement on the cabinet’s structure may be
delayed. The new cabinet will not be formed soon and the delay may be stretched
till after the end of the summer season, a source close to Hizbullah told Al-Rai.
The source said Hizbullah wanted real guarantees in the upcoming cabinet
particularly when it comes to voting on key decisions such as administrative
appointments and the future electoral law. But the party refrained from
addressing the blocking third vote issue publicly to “avoid provocations,” the
source said.
Tackling the issue of Hizbullah’s weapons, the source said the “resistance’s
arms” were not part of the ongoing deliberations on the cabinet’s formation and
“had nothing to do with giving guarantees to Hizbullah.” Similarly, a source
close to the March 14 coalition told the Al-Rai that Lebanon was heading toward
“a serious political crisis” due to the delay in the cabinet’s formation. The
source added that Hizbullah wanted no guarantees on the party’s arms or the STL
since holding veto power in the next government would ensure the party control
over key decisions regarding economic, political and social issues. Meanwhile,
President Michel Sleiman said on Tuesday that “things were moving in the right
direction,” adding that the Lebanese were “taking matters in their own hands
without pressure and external influence.” After a meeting with caretaker Deputy
Premier Issam Abou Jamra, Sleiman condemned the ongoing Israeli violations of
Lebanese territories, adding that the continued occupation of the Kfar Shuba
Hills and Shebaa Farms as well as Israel’s recently uncovered spy networks were
“provocative to Lebanon.” Sleiman, who urged the international community to put
an end to those violations, called for cooperation between the Lebanese Army and
UNIFIL.
Sleiman said the safety of peacekeepers guarantees the implementation of UN
Security Council Resolution 1701, without any amendments.
In other developments, Frederick Hoff, assistant of the United States
president’s special envoy to the Middle East Georges Mitchell, held talks with
Hariri and caretaker Premier Fouad Siniora on Tuesday.
UAE holds closed-door terror trial for Lebanese-US citizen
Wednesday, July 22, 2009/Barbara Surk
Associated Press
ABU DHABI: The judge overseeing the case of a US citizen detained in the United
Arab Emirates on terrorism-related charges unexpectedly closed a hearing Monday
to the public, sparking criticism from an American civil rights group observing
the trial. Judge Shahab al-Hamadi gave no reason for closing the hearing after
the first court session in June was open to observers and family members of Naji
Hamdan; a US diplomatic official was allowed to attend Monday’s proceedings.
Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union, which accuses the US of
pushing Hamdan’s case through the Emirati courts for lack of evidence to convict
him at home, said a closed-door hearing was a “travesty of justice.”
Representatives from the group traveled to Abu Dhabi intending to observe the
hearing in which the defense presented its side of the case.
Hamdan, 43, a US citizen of Lebanese origin, is charged in the UAE with
supporting terrorism, participating in the work of terrorist organizations, and
being a member of a terrorist group.
Hamdan denied the charges against him during his first court appearance on June
14 and told the judge he had signed a confession because he was tortured. UAE
officials have never commented on the allegations.
Last year the ACLU filed a lawsuit suggesting that the US ordered Hamdan’s
arrest, detention and prosecution in the UAE and asking a judge to push for his
release. Justice Department lawyers argued the judge doesn’t have authority to
involve himself in a case prosecuted by a sovereign foreign government under its
own laws.
The US Embassy in the UAE has declined to comment on the case except to say that
Hamdan has been given consular support.
Jennie Pasquarella, an attorney with the ACLU said the decision to close
Monday’s proceedings at the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi does not meet
international standards of judicial transparency and fairness.
“What we saw today was not fairness at all,” Pasquarella said. “It looks like a
political show.” A US Embassy representative, who attended the hearing, refused
to comment. Hamdan’s Emirates-based lawyer declined to share with reporters what
he told the judge in defense of his client.
Hamdan’s family did not comment on the restrictions but said Hamdan was pleased
with his defense and that they hoped he would be freed soon.
“I think he is innocent,” said Hamdan’s son Khaled, 17, who came from Beirut to
attend the hearing. “I don’t really know why they accused him of this. Hopefully
everything will be fine.”
Hamdan moved to the US as a college student, became a citizen and ran an auto
parts business in the Los Angeles area. He was active in the Islamic community.
He said the FBI began questioning him about whether he had terrorist ties in
1999. He decided to move his family back to the Middle East in 2006 after living
in the US for 20 years.
Although it is not clear what Hamdan had been suspected of doing, he said he was
kept under constant surveillance by the US government. He claims the FBI once
detained him at the airport on a return visit to the US and flew agents to Abu
Dhabi last summer to question him at the US Embassy in the UAE capital.
On August 26, 2008, three weeks after the embassy meeting, Hamdan was arrested
at his home in the emirate of Ajman by UAE state security agents. He was kept in
solitary confinement for three months, according to a note from Hamdan obtained
by the Associated Press. He said he was repeatedly questioned, with daily
beatings, whipping of his feet, kicks to his abdomen, threats to his family and
verbal abuse. He wrote in the note that an American was present for at least
some of the questioning and advised him to do what he was told to avoid further
pain.
ACLU attorney Ahilan Arulanantham argued in the lawsuit that Hamdan didn’t know
who the person was, but the person spoke in perfect American English and was
dressed differently from his captors. Justice Department lawyers in the ACLU
lawsuit argued that could be any one, and they submitted a declaration from the
FBI that its agents were not involved in his capture and did not share their
opinions about the case with the UAE.
Assad urged to free man arrested over Hariri killing
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Amnesty International urged Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday to
order the release of Ziad Ramadan unless he is to be given a prompt, fair trial.
According to the Syrian authorities, Ziad Ramadan, a Syrian national, was
detained in connection with the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005, in Beirut.
However, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the court established to try those
accused of responsibility for the killing, told Amnesty International in May
2009 that it does not consider Ramadan a suspect, but simply as a witness
because of his association with someone of interest to the Tribunal’s
investigation, and has not requested his detention.
“Amnesty International considers it to be high time that Ziad Ramadan is
released unless he is to be brought to trial promptly and fairly on recognizable
criminal charges,” the international NGO said in a statement. The amnesty
statement said Ramadan has been detained without charge or trial since his
arrest precisely four years ago – on July 20, 2005.
It is thought that Ramadan may be currently held at the Palestine Branch of
Syrian Military Intelligence, where torture and other ill-treatment of detainees
is common.
He has not been permitted to see his family since September 2007, raising
serious concern for his safety. – The Daily Star
Jeita Grotto among finalists for 7 Wonders of Nature
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Jeita Grotto has been selected as one of 28 finalists in a
worldwide campaign to choose the “New 7 Wonders of Nature,” organizers said on
Tuesday.
Jeita was chosen from 77 nominees by a panel of experts who assessed 261
international landmarks picked by the public. It will be competing with such
natural landmarks as the Galapagos, the Dead Sea and the Amazon. Finalists are
selected according to their diversity, importance to human life and geographical
balance by a jury panel chaired by former UN Education, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) chief, Federico Mayor. Jeita Grotto, often referred to as
the “Pearl of Nature in Lebanon,” comprises two crystallized limestone caves and
an underground river. The chambers also boast one of the largest stalactites in
the world. Director of the grotto, Dr. Nabil Haddad, said he was “extremely
happy” the cave had been recognized as a finalist. “We are proud to be a part of
the campaign – it is an achievement for Lebanon,” he told The Daily Star. The
wonders will be chosen by mobile phone and internet users across the world. –
The Daily Star
Young Lebanese expats take part in summer camp
Daily Star staff/Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Fawzi Salloukh inaugurated the 9th
“Lebanese Expatriates Youth Camp” during a ceremony at the Brummana High School,
where the youth will be spending the first two days of the camp. The ceremony
was attended by Youth and Sports Minister, Talal Arslan represented by Walid
Barakat, Director General of the Expatriates Department at the Foreign Ministry,
Haitham Jomaa, Director General of the Tourism Ministry, Nada Sardouk, in
addition to an array of political and social figures. Salloukh stressed that
“huge” efforts were being exerted for the sake of ensuring Lebanese expatriates
with adequate care, “and to preserve their rights inside and outside of
Lebanon.” Jomaa, meanwhile, emphasized that the Lebanese expatriates should
never “feel free even in the free societies [they live in] as long as their
homeland Lebanon is not free.” The summer camp, which lasts for one week, will
tour various Lebanese regions including the capital Beirut, the camp’s last
stop. The young expatriates will camp in the Kesrouan town of Jeita, in the
northern villages of Arz, Benashi and Ehden, as well as in the southern coastal
city of Sidon and the villages Qana and Tyre, and the Bekaa towns of Zahle,
Baalbek and Anjar. The youth will also spend a night in the Chouf villages of
Deir al-Qamar and Beiteddine. – The Daily Star
Iranian leaders need to acknowledge – and address – public dissatisfaction
By The Daily Star /Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Editorial
This week’s developments in Iran might not represent anything as dramatic as a
“tipping point,” or decisive juncture in the course of events. But the
tug-of-war that continues to play itself out is a sign of a simple and basic
truth, which Iranian leaders can ignore at their own peril. The country will be
flirting with disaster if it continues on its current path, and fails to carry
out a continuous, incremental accommodation with its critics. Iran’s rulers
might have absolutely no stomach for reaching any kind of arrangement with Mir
Hossein Mousavi, which is perhaps understandable, given their position. But
that’s not the kind of accommodation that must take place in order for the
country to recover.
The broad, political agreement that must be fashioned in Iran must take place
with a more formidable political player, namely the two-thirds of the country,
roughly speaking, that is age 25 and under. In their heart of hearts, Iran’s
leaders are probably aware of the following: it’s easy to blame foreign
instigation for the recent unrest, or the bad taste leftover from a given
election, but the reality is that people are dissatisfied. Whatever one thinks
of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or Mousavi, or any of the other key players, Iran’s
leaders must recognize this dissatisfaction and address it. If the
powers-that-be truly believe that there’s no justification for such feelings of
discontent, which is different from disloyalty, then we might see the regime
take the “easier” option: let the Revolutionary Guards and similar elements have
the upper hand, and finish off any popular movement for change.
Iran is a difficult country to pin down on the “political science” map. It has
institutions: Parliament, presidency, etc., and regular elections. But the
output of these institutions has been lacking.
They’ve been hampered by the fact that the supreme leader, wielding tools like
the Revolutionary Guards, stands in the background, where he arbitrates and
manages the process in a way that undercuts the legitimacy of the state’s
official political institutions. The leaders of Iran can wield the Pasdaran like
a stick, but the country can only recover if it gets a carrot, in the form of
the country’s institutions. They cannot remain mere atmospherics; they must be
activated and allowed to shape political life. Iran brags about its elections,
institutions and Constitution. If they were functioning properly, we’d be seeing
a more comfortable scenario of Ahmadinejad leading the government, and Mousavi
leading the opposition.
The Shah of Iran learned the hard way that resorting to security agencies and
ordering a crack-down to maintain stability has a finite usefulness. The real
levers of power in Iran are the people and the institutions that represent them
soundly.
The Above Editorial was also posted on the following sites
Middle East Analysis
AlBawaba Blog American Chronicle
International Analyst Network
Israeli News